Our Love for Biological Data Analysis

As a bioinformatics provider, biological data analysis is a huge part of what we do.  We are very fortunate then that our bioinformaticians enjoy it so much. In fact, in a recent survey, getting to analyse and interpret biological data sets was the top answer from our bioinformaticians when asked ‘What do you love about bioinformatics?’

Let’s take a look at what else our bioinformaticians love about bioinformatics.

What do you love about bioinformatics?

The majority of answers to this question centered on biological data analysis. The answers include phrases like ‘solving‘, ‘making sense of‘,  ‘finding insight‘, or ‘interpreting‘  data.  Some of these answers are detailed below:

“The ability to find novel insight in complex data – it is like being a detective.”

“For me, science is about looking at the raw results of an experiment and making sense of it. Wet lab scientists may spend most of their time generating these results and not have as much time to interpret the results. Bioinformaticians get to spend almost all of their time interpreting data.”

“The challenge of “solving” a new problem.”

Of course, biological data analysis was not the only answer to this question. Other things our bioinformaticians love about bioinformatics include; the enormous availability and potential of public data and the frequent use of algorithms and plots.

What is the best thing about being a bioinformatician?

Excepting further answers focusing on biological data analysis which mentioned things like “solving puzzles” and “turning data into knowledge“; the answers to this question vary significantly and include:

“Variation in my work, and the results can be very rewarding and satisfying, particularly if meaningful results have been produced.”

“The rewarding feeling of contributing to science.”

“It is a great conversation starter! In fact, every Christmas I have the same conversation with my Dad – what does a bioinformatician do?”

We are sure that many bioinformaticians can relate to that last answer! If you want to skip these explanations in the future, just share our What is Bioinformatics? blog instead.

Why did you decide to become a bioinformatician?

Unsurprisingly, enjoyment of biological data analysis was again a theme for answers to this question, but there were some unexpected answers too:

“I have always loved biology and problem-solving. Bioinformatics brings these two passions together!”

“I wanted to work more on interpreting data rather than generating it.”

“It was a Master’s degree that sounded interesting.”

“Initially out of necessity – spreadsheets weren’t cutting it and I realised that I was ‘going to need a bigger boat’. I found out that I enjoyed bioinformatics and there was a huge demand for these skills – I never looked back.”

What has been the best moment of your bioinformatics career so far?

The variety in answers to this question highlighted just how rewarding being a bioinformatician can be. (It was also nice to see that some bioinformaticians consider working at Fios Genomics as a career highlight!)

“Getting told by a client that they really value our work, they will include us in the acknowledgments of their paper, and they would like to come back for a new contract as our work was so useful to them.”

“My first publication being released.”

“Starting at Fios Genomics!”

“Getting my first (Perl) script to run, which saved me about two weeks of manual copy and pasting during my Ph.D. It felt like witchcraft! Those early victories are the most memorable.”

“Feeling like I have grown so much as an analyst since starting work at Fios Genomics.”

Biological Data Analysis from Fios Genomics

If you are looking for biological data analysis, you are clearly in the right place. Our bioinformaticians don’t just analyse biological data, they really enjoy everything about it – from problem-solving to turning your data into knowledge to answer your research question. No matter what type of biological data you have, or what your research question is, we can help. Contact us today to discuss your project or view our bioinformatics services for more information.

Want to know what you can expect when you work with us? Watch our bioinformatics example report walk-through.

Author: Breige McBride, Content and Social Media Manager, Fios Genomics
Reviewed by Fios Genomics Bioinformatics Experts to ensure accuracy

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